The challenge

Haulage – the middle mile – is the hardest part of the logistics network to decarbonise. Vehicles operate across long nationwide corridors, under strict service level agreements (SLAs), with no margin for downtime, while fragmented, asset-light carrier models make fleet-wide electrification at this tier structurally difficult.

The solution

HIVED’s answer was vertical integration: owning the fleet, the technology and the operations end-to-end, so that electric HGVs could be designed into the network from day one. It established a close operational partnership with Mercedes-Benz and Daimler Truck UK to introduce some of the most advanced electric HGVs available in the UK market.

Three targets benchmarked success: measurable CO2 reduction through the HGV fleet, maintaining a 99%+ on-time attempted delivery rate, and providing auditable Scope 3 emissions data for retail partners.

How the project works

The Mercedes eActros 400 joined HIVED’s fleet in November 2024, followed by the eActros 600 in June 2025, making HIVED one of the first operators in the UK to commercially run fully electric 44T artics at scale. These were not demonstration vehicles or pilots: they were integrated directly into time-critical, SLA-driven commercial operations without a diesel contingency, connecting regional hubs with urban depots through daily, high-frequency parcel movements.

HIVED’s West London depot opened in April 2025, reducing unnecessary trunking and inter-hub transfers while strengthening coverage across the South and West of England. Together with the eActros 600, this secured an entirely electric first-, middle- and final-mile network operating commercially with no diesel fallback at any point.

Electric hardware is integrated with HIVEDmind, HIVED’s proprietary logistics platform, which governs intelligent routing, real-time network visibility, dynamic parcel flow optimisation, charging schedules and vehicle utilisation – optimising vehicle range, charging windows and operational performance simultaneously. Dedicated fast-charging infrastructure is planned across HIVED’s depot network, with investment already committed to support the next phase of fleet growth.

The results

In the past year, HIVED’s fully electric HGV fleet prevented 1,181 tonnes of CO2 and 3,000kg of NOx from entering London’s air through vehicle tailpipes. Its 11 Mercedes-Benz electric HGVs have surpassed 500,000 electric miles while consistently matching or exceeding diesel productivity benchmarks, and carbon intensity per £1m revenue fell 15% year on year, from 206 tCO2e to 175 tCO2e in FY24/25.

The on-time delivery target was maintained during expansion into new geographies, parcels per route increased by 12% against an 8% target, and HIVED holds a 4.8 Trustpilot rating with claims rates below 0.1%. For retail partners, Minor Figures achieved an 87% reduction in delivery failures, a 91% reduction in damaged deliveries and a 63% reduction in lost parcels; Grubby achieved 99.3% on-time delivery and 99% delivery success; and HIVED is Monica Vinader’s best-performing carrier globally, based on customer NPS.

HIVED will continue expanding across further UK corridors and investing in rapid charging infrastructure. As a founding steering group member of the Sustainable Urban Freight Association, it is also helping shape the policy and regulatory environment needed to make clean freight viable across the wider industry.